Perfect
by Dimitri t
Summary: Oliver knew Percy was special the moment he laid eyes on him and nothing would ever change that. Not people, an abusive father, girls, or even falling in love with Percy. A tale of two boys over seven years.
1. Some Great Need in Me

Perfect

Look, if I owned the books I wouldn't need to write fan fiction would I? Yes, gasp at that little revelation!

Author: Dimitri Aidan

Rating: Year one: Pg. Overall: R, due to light sexual content as they age.

Series: Nah.

Order: It follows them as they age. Not every year will have a story, sorry, and some years will have more than one.

Warnings: Uhh…not much. They're eleven, for Christ's sake. Get yer minds out of the goddamn gutter! Some pre-slash stuff, Percy's a little depressed, and Oliver is…well, he's very secretive about his family life, but I can't tell you why without giving away some things. Maybe a little foul language.

POV: Third Person

Pairings: Eventual Oliver/Percy and Percy/Penelope, but we won't see any of that for a few 'years'.

Notes: I'm not sure how much older Bill and Charlie are than Percy or which is older. (I'm pretty sure it's Bill though) But, due to my Weasley boy craving, I stuck them both in here anyway. Feel free to argue about it you might get through eventually.

Summery: Oliver knew Percy was special the moment he laid eyes on him and nothing would ever change that. Not people, abusive fathers, girls, or even falling in love with Percy. A tale of two boys over seven years.

Other: I refuse to embarrass myself by attempting a Scottish Accent. I'm from Colorado and I live in New Jersey. I think that should about sum up my potential accent skills.

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Morning smiles  
Like the face  
Of a newborn child,  
Innocent, unknowing.  
Winter's end  
Promises  
Of a long lost friend.  
Speaks to me of comfort  
But I fear  
I have nothing to give.  
I have so much  
To lose here in this lonely place.  
Tangled up in your embrace  
There's nothing I'd like better than  
To fall.  
But I fear  
I have nothing to give.  
Wind in time  
Rapes the flower  
Trembling on the vine  
And nothing yields to shelter  
From above.  
They say temptation will destroy our love.  
The never ending hunger  
But I fear  
I have nothing to give  
I have so much  
To lose here in this lonely place  
Tangled up in our embrace  
There's nothing I'd like better than  
To fall  
But I fear  
I have nothing to give.  
I have so much to lose.  
I have nothing to give.  
We have so much to lose...  
  
Sarah McLachlan-Fear- Song for the First Year

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Year One, Part One: Some Great Need in Me

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Percy Weasley looked at the long train waiting for the students to board so it could leave King's Cross.

He was afraid. He had never been away from home and his family before, and now he was going away until, at the least, Christmas. He didn't want to go and almost told his mother so when he noticed the wide smile on her lips.

It was the same smile she had worn when seeing Bill and Charlie off every year, the smile she wore when good reports were sent home for them. She was proud of her son and he hadn't even done anything yet.

He felt his stomach knot as the realization that he couldn't grab her robes and whine like he was a little kid anymore. He was eleven after all, not nine like the twins, seven like Ron, or six like Ginny; he was a big kid and he should act like it.

Besides maybe this would be his chance to prove he could do stuff too.

His older brothers had medals and trophies to their names, the twins were handfuls but when they weren't underfoot, which was almost never, mum always gushed about how smart they were, Ron was already brave and looked after Ginny, and Ginny was the baby girl.

He would go to Hogwarts and set a good example for the younger kids.

That thought made some of the tension in his chest go away and he managed a tiny smile when his mother kissed his cheek then sent him onto the train with Bill and Charlie.

"You okay Perc?" Bill asked, pushing hair out of his eyes and smiling. Percy nodded, but Bill didn't look convinced. "It's okay to be scared you know. Charlie was scared his first year too." Bill winked while the other boy sputtered embarrassedly.

Percy smiled back then laughed at Charlie's expression. "I'm fine."

"I was not scared!" Charlie said finally. "Don't go lying to him about that type of thing."

"You were practically crying when the train pulled away." Bill laughed.

"I was-"

His brother's voices faded to the background as Percy looked around in awe. There were so many people getting on the train, looking for their friends, and waving goodbye to parents that Percy suddenly felt very small and unimportant standing there, alone.

Only he wasn't alone, since Bill and Charlie were there, but they were there together. Percy was just a tag along because he didn't have friends of his own yet. He wasn't really with them, just hovering around them, because mum had said they had to look after him.

He looked at the ground and stopped, but only for an instant. When he looked up again they were gone, Bill and Charlie had been swallowed whole by the mass of people and he was alone, for real.

He was going to cry. He could feel the tears burning his eyes and he wanted to cry, but what if someone saw him? The other kids might make fun of him for crying then he'd be unpopular before school even started then he'd spend the next seven years with no friends and-

"Hi."

Percy blinked at the boy in front of him, with surprised eyes. He was smaller then Percy, but Percy was almost as tall as Charlie so that wasn't too odd, with dark brown hair and friendly eyes. He smiled at Percy widely, waiting for him to say something.

"Uh, hi."

"I'm Oliver, and I was about to get on the train, but you looked a little lost and I thought I'd see if you were okay."

Percy smiled sheepishly. "I'm fine. My older brothers got away from me is all."

Oliver nodded. "Well, you can sit with me and my friends then." He took Percy by the hand. "Come on, they're right over here."

--

Percy was shy, Oliver realized that early on when he whispered hellos to Oliver's friends, a group of third years that lived around him and had offered to watch out for him until the got to Hogwarts.

Percy remained quiet and blushed every time he was spoken to, but answered politely as well, which was weird. Oliver didn't know many kids who were polite unless their parents were hovering directly over their shoulder and watching very closely.

Percy was kind of weird and really shy.

But Oliver liked him already. He was nice, and laughed at the jokes that the older kids just made faces at, and even his laugh was quiet, which Oliver kind of liked. It was kind of his mother's laugh, only…nicer. It was more friendly or something.

His mother almost never laughed. She was so sad so much of the time. Oliver didn't understand it, but getting into Hogwarts had made her really happy so he knew he had to go out and do really well. He had to make her proud.

So he thought Percy would be a good friend. Which was good, because he couldn't hang out with a bunch of third years all yearlong could he?

Nope, he would seem like some kind of a baby if he followed them around all the time. It would look like he needed them to take care of him. Which he didn't. He was, after all, the oldest child. He didn't need anyone to look after him.

But, now that he had Percy he would have a friend in his own year, wouldn't look like a baby, and would have someone to talk to.

At least he would if he and Percy were in the same house.

But what if they weren't? Then he wouldn't really be able to talk to Percy as much. He didn't care for that idea too much.

He pushed the idea out of his mind and looked over at Percy who had been looking at the floor, but looked up suddenly. Oliver noticed that his bright red bangs kept falling into his very light blue eyes and, without really thinking, reached up and brushed them back behind Percy's ear.

Percy just blinked then shrugged and went back to his patch pf carpet. Oliver didn't notice the looks his other friends exchanged.

Well, Percy would just have to be in his house, whether the other boy liked it or not.

When Percy left for a minute, probably to go to the bathroom, Selena, a third year Ravenclaw girl with long black hair and black eyes with silver flecks spoke.

"He seems a bit stuck up."

Anita, another Ravenclaw nodded. "Yeah, he was practically ignoring us the whole time."

Oliver frowned. "He's just shy."

"You don't even know him." Charles, a Hufflepuff boy said, shaking his head. "I think he thinks he's better because he's from an old wizarding family."

"I bet he doesn't care for Muggle Borns either." Matt, another Ravenclaw, said. "I never see his brothers talking to any."

"That's just stupid." Rebecca, a Gryffindor frowned at them. "You all know that Bill and Charlie are two of the best guys in all of Hogwarts. Smart, cute, on the team…"

"That's probably why he's so stuck up." Selena muttered. "Thinks because his brothers are so high and mighty he can just treat the rest of us however he wants."

Oliver scowled. "Well, I don't care what you think, but you shouldn't say things like that when he's around."

The four teens watched their young friend stalk off then looked at each other, clearly confused.

"Did we say something wrong?" Matt asked. His friends shrugged. Rebecca rolled her eyes.

"I'm surrounded by idiots."

--

Oliver found Percy two cars down, staring out of a window. "Why are you back here?"

"I don't think your friends like me much." Percy whispered. Oliver shrugged.

"So? They're stupid."

Percy glanced up at him. "Why are you being so nice? You don't have to be you know. No one else is really nice to me or anything." Not that his family was mean, he just…got lost sometimes.

"Then they're stupid too." Oliver declared, sitting across from Percy and flashing him a blinding smile. "Because I like you. I think you nice, and quite, and shy, and you have a funny laugh."

Percy flushed. "I have a funny laugh?"

"Yeah, but not in a bad way." Oliver said cheerfully. "I like and everything, it's just funny."

"I get it. I think." Percy scratched his head then sat up a little. "So, what do you want to do now?"

"Well…you could tell me about your brothers." Oliver said after a moment of thought. "I'm the only boy and I always thought having brothers would be cool."

Percy frowned. "Well Bill and Charlie are my older brothers, Ron, Fred, and George are my younger brothers, and Ginny is my younger sister. Bill and Charlie do really well in school and mum says they have a lot of friends and will do really 'good for themselves when they graduate'. This is Bill's last year, but Charlie still has one more after this."

"Wow." Oliver said, looking awed. "You have a big family. It's just me, my two sisters, and my mum."

"Where's your dad?"

Oliver shrugged. "I don't know. One day he was saying he'd take me to watch a Quidditch match and the next day he was gone."

"Well that doesn't sound very nice." Percy said while wondering how someone's father could just leave them. His father only left for work and always said how much he hated to leave them all of the time like that. Just leaving your family alone didn't seem like something someone would do.

"I guess not." Oliver said, voice sounding a little distant. Percy looked like he was going to say something, but voices outside of the compartment drew his attention.

"I don't believe we lost him."

"Mum is going to skin us alive this time Bill."

Percy laughed and Oliver turned. He could see two heads with the same color hair as Percy's bobbing outside of the compartment door.

"Hey, you wanna scare them a bit?"

Percy blinked. "Scare them?"

Oliver smiled a little.

--

When Bill and Charlie walked into the last compartment on the train and found it empty they all but started crying. They had lost Percy and now they were going to die. It was rather simple. The moment their mother found out about this they're mother would surely come all the way out to Hogwarts and make them regret it. But they didn't want to die just yet.

Sighing dejectedly, they decided to tell Professor Mcgongall the minute they got to the school then left the compartment, which filled with laughter the second the door shut.

--

"That was mean." Percy laughed, crawling out from under the seat he had been hiding beneath.

"So?" Oliver asked, smiling again. "They did lose you, scaring them a little will teach them to watch you more closely next time won't it?"

Percy nodded, still laughing and settled into his seat. "That was still mean. They are going to be really mad when they find out I tricked them."

Oliver shrugged. "I won't let them do anything to you, I promise."

And Percy found that he believed him.


	2. Sorting

Notes: It's a mini chapter…I could have added more, but decided against it. I liked it as is. Expect more in a week or so…

Year One, Part Two: Deep Inside

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Percy chanced another look at his brothers, and yes they were still giving him the evil eye and yes he was going to be in trouble once he was sorted, but it was still funny and completely worth it. He didn't get to play tricks on his brothers often.

In fact, he didn't think he'd tricked them once. They were always playing jokes on him, and getting in trouble for it, but never the other way around. And he hadn't even gotten in trouble for it.

Oliver was hovering behind him and making faces at his brothers, but Percy didn't see it, nor did he know that was the reason Bill and Charlie looked upset.

"Weasely, Percy."

Percy swallowed, fear of being sorted finally catching up to him. He hadn't been able to sleep last night because of it. He'd been utterly terrified of ending up anywhere but Gryffindor, like everyone else in his family thus far, but he had forgotten about it until now. He wished it had stayed forgotten.

He sat down and the hat slid over his eyes, hiding everything in the Great Hall. Then a silky smooth voice in his ear, sounding thoughtful.

"You are a smart one aren't you? You could do well in Slytheirn, it's all in here. The raw intelligence, the drive, the need to show everyone around you up that you aren't just another Weasley brother… Ah, but you want to be loved as well don't you? You want friends. You won't find much of that in Slytherin."

GRYFFINDOR!

Percy almost sobbed with releif when the hat was taking off of his head and the entire Gryffindor table was cheering loudly. He had been terrified at the suggestion he could be in Slytherin. His parents would have a heart attack, his siblings would never speak to him again, his whole family would collectively disown him and

"Where were you?" Bill demanded when Percy had sat down next to him.

"The train." Percy said, blinking innocently. "Where were you two?"

"Looking for you." Charlie hissed; he was glad to see Percy but the whole train ride he had been more or less writing up his will. He didn't find the incident terribly amusing, that much was plain from the look on his face.

"Oh." Percy nodded. "That was nice of you."

Bill and Charlie exchanged looks. Sometimes Percy was a mystery to them. He was only eleven, but he already acted more mature than most of the kids they knew, and was probably smarter than a lot of them as well. No one was sure why, exactly, but Percy just caught on fast and, according to their mother, absorbed everything like a sponge.

Nothing got past him.

And, because of that, it was very hard to understand him at times. Like now, they couldn't tell if he was serious or making fun of them.

"Wood, Oliver."

Percy sat up straighter, straining to watch as Oliver sat down. The hat barely had a chance to sit on his head when it cried out.

GRYFFINDOR!

Oliver smiled broadly and ran over to sit next to him. Percy returned the smile, while all of the tables cheered. The Sorting Hat was to be taken away now, as Oliver had been the last in line.

"-Be great!" Oliver was saying. What he had said before had been lost amid the children. "We're the only two Gryffindor First Years, we'll have an entire room to ourselves."

Percy smiled. He could care less about that, though the prospect of being the only Gryffindor this year had been slightly frightening, he was just glad he and Oliver were in the same house. Being in different houses would make it hard to be friends, but now they wouldn't have any problems.


	3. Hidden Depths

Year One, Part Three: Hidden Depths

I didn't have this written originally, as most of their early years are supposed to be through Percy's eyes, but someone asked and I'm a sucker for my reviewers.

Be forewarned: There is much more to simple little Oliver than anyone dares to suspect, especially Percy. And, uh, I hate this chapter. Don't know why, I just do.

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Oliver sighed and turned in his bed again. It was a nice, big, and comfortable bed. He couldn't help but feel that he should have fallen to sleep the moment his head hit the pillow because it had been a very eventful day, as his mother would put it.

He missed his mother already. And his little sisters and his grandmother. He was used to always having them around, talking, laughing and just…around. And he was very used to having Nancy and Lacy in his bed and taking up all of the room. It was amazing how much room a five year old and a three year old could take up when they wanted to.

It wasn't that they had to sleep together anymore; it was just that it put them at ease. They probably wouldn't sleep a wink tonight. They'd probably drive his poor mum up the wall.

His mother didn't make a lot of money and his father was…well, his grandmother liked to say his father was a clinically useless bum who couldn't find his ass without the help of Oliver's mother but Oliver had to confess he wasn't totally sure what that meant.

His family now lived with his grandmother because they'd been forced out of their apartment over the summer when his father had 'mysteriously vanished' into the night. Mysteriously vanished being code for 'lost his job, got tired of smacking Oliver's mum, and decided to run off with his other girlfriend'. But Oliver wasn't supposed to know any of that because it was very unseemly and the Wood family had a reputation to maintain

His mother just told neighbors her husband had died and hoped they believed her.

He didn't mind so much though, the moving. He'd spent the last four years of his life sharing a bed with his little sisters and now he had his own room in the attic, plus they had a big yard and his grandmother had a cat. It was old and fat and slow but he kind of liked having a pet.

And it was still better than Percy's pet rat.

One of the perks of his own room was his own bed, though it hadn't really worked out that way. Nan and Lacy always ended up in his room, in his bed by the time the sun came up and as much as he whined he liked it. The new house, the new room, and the new bed…those two made it easier to adjust to it all. Made it feel more like home for him.

And here he was, three months later, with yet another new bed and this time no little sisters to help him break it in. It was just…so big. Open. Empty.

He turned again and looked over at Percy who was fast asleep. The redhead had been asleep before his head had really hit the pillow and it had been funny at first. Now Oliver was just lonely.

He slid out of bed and slipped on his slippers before padding out of the room. Already he liked the Gryffindor Tower. It was warm and friendly and everything was in shades of red and gold, with tall portraits of past house members on the walls, chatting and wandering about aimlessly.

This late however all of the paintings were asleep or elsewhere so none of them called greetings or waved as he crept down the stairs into the Common Room. He could see light being cast around the room from the flickering fire and hesitated for a moment, wondering if whoever was down there would mind the company of a first year.

He decided to chance it and crept over only to find the fire deserted. He scratched his head then shrugged. He had no idea why a fire would be lit if no one was down here but his mother had told him Hogwarts was full of mysterious going-ons.

Maybe spontaneously lighting fires was one of them.

He sat down and, finding the warm glow of the fire oddly comforting, pulled his legs up to his chest and watched the orange-red flames jump in all directions, and the sound of logs crackling.

Without really meaning to his mind drifted to the Sorting Hat and the strange words it had whispered to him before calling out Gryffindor. He'd only had the thing on for an instant but it had left him something to think about that much was for certain.

Oliver Wood… my quite the little knot of secrets you are. No worries, I know just the person to unravel you. Sometimes I enjoy this job.

Then the hat had laughed (which was strange as well. Talking he could understand but laughing? What in the world had been so funny? Then again he supposed being a hat that come out once a year left one starving for humor.) And he'd been occupied with the fact he'd been put into Percy's house.

He couldn't explain it really but something about the redhead was…something. He couldn't really think of a good word for it, but it was something good. Warm. Different.

And Oliver had never really had a friend of his own. The Muggles they'd lived around could never really come over or stay at his house because of the magic his mum used, and the Wizarding kids he had to hang around…well his mother made him do it. Said they would be a good influence on him.

He thought they were all damn annoying but he couldn't say that out loud. His mother wouldn't have approved and she was trying so hard to make their family fit in with all of the other families and make friends with all of the neighboring mothers. Oliver loved his mum and he was willing to deal with people for her.

He yawned and wrapped his arms around his chest. He laid his head on the armrest and before he could fully realize what was happening had fallen asleep.

000000

"Bill? Bill…Hey! Keep your hands to yourself for a moment."

"You're a bloody tease Jamie, I hope you know that."

"There's a kid on the couch. I thought you made sure everyone was in bed already. Isn't that what you people do?"

"…You're so unappreciative. I get all the brats to bed, I start a fire, I risk McGonagall to come and sneak you out of Ravenclaw and into the tower and all you do is whine. 'Bill my feet are cold' 'Bill there's a kid on the couch', 'Bill I think Mrs. Norris is out.' 'Bill-"

"William, you sound like your mother."

"I hate you."

Bill muttered before shuffling over and scooping the kid up. He was surprisingly light considering that he was only a little bit smaller than Bill's brother Percy was, and Bill stumbled for a second. The boy muttered in his sleep then cuddled against him, unknowingly resting his head on his shoulder and winding a hand in his hair. Then he went silent.

Bill blinked, not at all sure what to think. The only two people who'd ever done anything remotely like this were Ginny, and she was the baby so he didn't mind, and Percy. And Percy had grown out of that phase the moment he grew out of needing a nightlight. He looked at Jamie who smirked. He could feel heat rushing up his cheeks.

"Not a word." He warned. The Ravenclaw's smile only grew. "I mean it Jamie. Not a word."

"You'll make such a fine daddy Bill." Jamie said in a singsong tone of voice. Bill grimaced. The things he was forced to put up with for a good snog.

He turned and headed up the stairs. If he recalled correctly this was the other new first year. He'd seemed friendly with Percy, which was promising. Poor Percy was more or less stuck in the middle back home. Ginny and Ron always played their games together and only drafted Percy as a referee. The twins were inseparable and as different from Percy as night and day. And, though Bill hated to admit it, he often shut out his younger brother.

But there was a nearly seven year gap and with Charlie there was only a year difference and…

Well it was good for Percy to have friends of his own.

Speak of the little devil.

Percy peered out of his dorm room just as Bill was shifting Oliver's weight to open the door. Sleepy blue eyes locked onto his own. Percy's lips pursed.

"'Liam?"

Bill's eyebrow quirked. Yep, Percy was clearly less than a hundred percent awake. That nickname had gone the way the nightlight and crawling into Bill's bed after nightmares. He reached out and ruffled Percy's hair and laughed when Percy batted at his arm weakly. He rather liked Percy when he was asleep. He acted more like an eleven year old should and less like a thirty-year-old man trapped in the body of a child.

Percy was probably more mature that Bill was.

"Not a baby." Percy muttered but allowed himself to be turned around and aimed back inside. "Why're you carrying Oliver?"

"Fell asleep downstairs."

"Oh."

Bill dropped Oliver onto the bed across from the one his brother was climbing into then pulled the covers up over the brunette. Oliver rolled onto his stomach and snored softly. Bill chuckled and turned around to say something to Percy (what he wasn't sure) but found his brother had already dropped off.

He shrugged to himself and headed for the door.

Back to Jamie and, hopefully, the snogging he'd been deprived of all summer.

* * *

Thanks to Curious, Angel, PWeatherby, Silver Mirror, Mugs, and Sheepgomeep.


	4. I Took For Granted

Year One, Part Four: I took for Granted

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"Perce!" Oliver said jumping onto his friend's bed, accidentally sending the boys papers and ink on a first class trip to the floor. He managed to snag the ink, but the rest fell. His expression changed to one of dismay and he sighed. He was always doing that sort of thing.

On a broom he was king, on the ground he was a klutz.

"Sorry." He muttered, dropping to his knees.

"It's fine Oliver." Percy said smiling a little and brushing a strand of hair from his face. "I was about to take a break anyway, my eyes are burning again."

"Because you spend all day doing work and staring at that itty bitty print, like it's the most important thing in the entire world." Oliver said, gathering up the homework. "You should come hang out with the other kids with me."

"The other kids don't like me." Percy said, rolling on to his back so he could look his best friend in the eye. "I don't think they ever did."

"That's not true." Oliver said stubbornly, even though it was true and they had had this argument more times over the past month then anything Oliver had ever argued with anyone about before. They both knew something about Percy had turned off most kids instantly, though what it was neither was really sure of.

Oliver personally couldn't understand for the life of him why anyone would do anything less than adore Percy. They'd only known each other a few weeks and already they were best friends. Sure, Oliver had plenty of friends in every house, but Percy was his best and always would be.

Even if he did act years older than the rest of the kids. In Oliver's mind that was part of what made Percy so great, he always knew exactly what was going on and exactly what to do, but he never tried to force anyone to do anything.

"They think I'm stuck up and that I think I'm better then the rest of them." Percy rolled his eyes a little. Times like this he wished he had just ended up in Slytherin, because if he was in Gryffindor because he wanted love, then it just seemed stupid. Everyone here hated him.

At least in Slytherin that would be normal. Here he was a freak.

And a stuck up freak, which didn't make sense. Percy wasn't stupid after all; he knew that his family didn't have much except each other. He didn't think he could really be arrogant considering…apparently he was wrong though.

"Well-"

"And they think I've cast a spell on you, because why else would you even bother talking to me all of the time?" Percy added, ignoring Oliver. "I think I'm better off with my school work, it makes a lot more sense to me."

"But I want you to come out more." Oliver whined. Percy laughed.

"You sound like my little sister."

"I do not." Oliver said, ignoring the fact that he sounded a lot like **his** little sisters. "I just…wish you'd come out of here more."

"I know. Bill and Charlie say I should learn to bend more to other people's wills, and not be so 'stiff' all of the time." Percy sighed. "Maybe they're right."

"NO!" Oliver said loudly then looked at the ground flushing at the surprised look Percy graced him with. He hadn't meant to shout, but he really didn't like the idea of Percy changing for anyone else. "Percy, I already told you, anyone who can't like you the way you are isn't as smart as you and I are, because you're you and I know that you're perfect."

Percy flushed. "You're really weird you know that?"

"Well, yeah, but you love me that way don't you?" Oliver grinned cheekily.

"Yes Oliver, of course." Percy said, not able to stifle his happy smile. "All right, what did you want me to come and do with you?"

Oliver had once again won him over. It was hard for Percy to not give in to everything Oliver asked of him

"Watch the team practice with me?" Oliver asked.

"Sure." Percy rolled out of his bed and grabbed his robe. "Do you think you'll try out next year?"

"No way." Oliver turned pink. "I'm no where near good enough to play on the team."

"Sure you are." Percy said, wrinkling his nose like he always did when he was amused. "No one in third year or lower is better on a broom or understands the game better then you do."

"You think?" Oliver asked, turning a dark shade of pink, bordering on red. They stopped talking for a moment as they walked through the common room then went through the portrait hole. They didn't talk much in front of other people.

Something about being the first friend either had made in Hogwarts made them want to keep their friendship away from the prying eyes of others.

"No, I'm just saying that for lack of anything better to do." Percy didn't even bother to roll his eyes. There it was again, the way Percy seemed so much older than anyone else. He said things and made jokes that other kids just didn't get.

Sometimes Oliver didn't get them, to be honest.

"Sometimes you're a giant idiot." Percy concluded.

"I know." Oliver said dismissively. "Sometimes you're a big know-it-all."

Percy stopped and turned around, looking stricken. "I am?"

"Yeah, but never around me, if that's what you're worried about."

Percy bit his lower lip. "I don't mean to be that way."

"Well…it's not that bad and you only do it with the people who deserve it."

"Oh."

"Stop sulking Percy!" Oliver commanded, glaring at him. Percy shrank back and Oliver's glare intensified. "I mean it, there is nothing wrong with you, anyone who says there is, is a wanker and I'll kick their ass, understand?" Percy nodded and Oliver smiled sweetly. "Good. Let's hurry up before they start."

"You know, I think they have a name for what's wrong with you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. ADHD." Percy smirked at the confused look the brunette had on his face. "I'll explain it to you later. I read it in a book I found."

"If you say so." Oliver said, already dismissing it. He may very well forget about it by morning. "Are you staying for Christmas?"

"Maybe. You?"

"Yeah. My mom's busy and can't have me home right now." Oliver said, frowning a little bit. Percy had noticed that Oliver always seemed to get sad and quiet when he talked about his family, but was always eager to hear about the Weasley family.

Percy didn't know why, he thought his family was pretty embarrassing.

"Well…you could come home with me if I go." He offered, tilting his head off to the side. "I think we'd be glad to have you, my mum loves having people over. And Charlie's bringing his girlfriend home, so my parents are so happy they'll say yes to just about anything."

Oliver stared at Percy, looking as if he'd just said something outrageous. Percy stopped walking and stared at his friend, wondering what was going on. Was it something he'd said?

Then Oliver nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'd like that. Thanks Perce."

"No need. It'll be fun." Percy said, smiling again. He'd never had anyone over to his house before…or at least no one to visit him, except for cousins and they didn't really count, since he didn't really like any of them. But he wasn't allowed to tell them that, Mum said family was family and you had to be nice to them no matter what.

Percy thought that was a stupid idea. If they didn't like him, than why should he act if he liked them? It wasn't like he saw them more than once a year. He said as much to Oliver, who turned and stared at him as if he'd suddenly grown another head.

"What?"

"Nothing Perce it's just…you're kind of weird, you know?"

"Gee, Oliver, thanks." Percy deadpanned. Again Oliver just looked at him oddly and with a start Percy realized he was going 'it' again. So much for never doing it with Oliver. He didn't know how to shut it off, but it was certainly a pain in the arse.

"I don't mean bad weird you know, just weird weird. Percy weird. The things you say and not you know what you know about stuff…others kids don't get it. I don't get it a lot of the time."

Percy nodded then stopped walking. "I don't think I want to go outside right now."

Oliver frowned, clearly taken aback. Percy didn't blame him, up until this moment Percy had never refused Oliver anything, no matter how much he didn't want to do it. But right now he really…just wasn't in the mood.

"I have work to do."

"You do not!" Oliver looked totally shocked now. "Percy, you never have homework, you get it all done weeks in advance or else you have a fit." Then he frowned, worrying his bottom lip while Percy blushed, embarrassed to be caught in a lie. "If you don't want to go, fine, but you shouldn't lie about it."

"I…I'm sorry Ol."

"Sure." Oliver muttered.

"I am."

"So you'll go?"

"No. I just…I don't want to be with you right now." Percy knew the moment the words left his lips they'd been the wrong thing to say. "I don't mean-"

"Its okay." But it wasn't and Percy could see it. "You don't have to be with me if you don't want. I can find someone else to watch the practice with."

With that Oliver walked off, hands shoved into his robes and his head bowed.

He watched, worrying his bottom lip between his teen then shook his head and trudged back to the dorm feeling the eyes of the other students on him as he walked through the common room. They were probably wondering why he'd come back without Oliver. Rumors would start about he'd driven even Oliver away from him and was a horrible person, but he found he didn't particularly care at the moment. Normally the idea would be horrifying, but today…it was nothing.

-

-

-

Mugs: Aww...don't throw things at Ron! I mean, sure he's a bit of a pain in the arse...hmm.... nevermind. Ignore me. Throw away. And really I don't know why I didn't like it exactly. Mabe it was just a bit...awkward to get into Oliver's head. Which is weird because he isn't supposed to be that damn complex. Stupid Oliver and his damn character development.

Curious: Well I'm glad you liked your first glance at the Wood family. They aren't that important until the second/third year tales start to come out. Something to look forward too, ne? And Bill's very funny. I love Bill. I need a boyfriend like Bill.

PW: ...I'd like to say things get happier for Oliver but...well. I'd be a liar and since lying is one of Oliver's pet peeves and I so hate to have the muses mad at me...I won't say that. LOL. That made no sense...

Angel: If you think that was painful wait until I get around to writing the Christmas chapter. Lots of sweetness.

Brien: I can't wait to see where this is going either. Would you believe this started out as a four page one-shot and some how became a (at present) twenty chapter series?

Sheepgomeep: Bill is the greatest, I must confess.


	5. I Had A Bad Day Again

Year One, Part Five: Percy's Very Bad Horrible Day

Now, to be fair, I love Snape. He's just so mean and nasty and dark that I find it very sexy, greasy hair and large nose notwithstanding. But he's a right bastard here. Lets just assume he's having a very very bad day as well. I don't know, maybe Lucius isn't putting out or something…

Poor Percy…he has some serious self-worth issues that we see the beginning of here.

* * *

Percy was having an outstanding bad day.

It'd started when he woke up late and had to run into Transfigurations class thirty minutes late, robe and tie-less, with his vest backwards and his hair all over the place. He'd been subject to snickers and pointing from the first year Slytherins but that was pretty far from something new. He was used to it and so had studiously ignored them, refusing to rise to the obvious bait.

However the way Oliver had neither defended him as he was prone to do or joined in had stung more than a thousand people staring and laughing ever could. Oliver was his friend whereas those other people…they were just people. They didn't matter any but Oliver just…ignored him. Turned away when he sat next to him and anything he said was met with a cold silence.

He would have preferred to have Oliver laughing and pointing to ignoring him. The taunting left him boiling but the silence left him strangely cold inside. He would have liked the heat over the chill any day of the week.

Things had gotten steadily worse from there. His ink bottle had leaked all over his essays for Potions and Charms. Flitwick was willing to wait a day for the essay but Snape had not only given him a zero but had taken ten points for Gryffindor for carelessness and not knowing a proper clean up spell. And then another five points for not having his robe.

Then he'd had to miss lunch so he could redo his essay for Flitwick and he was now starving. He hadn't eaten all day, hadn't been to supper yet and wasn't entirely sure he really wanted to go and face his house having lost fifteen points. They'd been tied with Slytherin the night before and now they were probably just behind Ravenclaw and it was his fault.

History of Magic hadn't really gone any better. He'd been so worn out from the day thus far that Binns had put him straight to sleep and he hadn't taken any notes on Merlin or Camelot and now was going to have to go back to the library soon and get information so he wouldn't fall behind.

But really he didn't mind all of that. Any other time he could have gone back to the dorm and sat in his room and listened to Oliver talk excitedly about the Quidditch practice he'd just seen and how happy his friend was would wipe out his own miserable day. Oliver was good at infecting others with his mood and Percy kind of…relied on that.

But Oliver was still mad at him and Percy couldn't understand why. It wasn't like he'd told some kind of huge lie, it had just been a tiny fib. He hadn't want Oliver mad of course but he really hadn't wanted to go out and he hadn't wanted to hurt Oliver's feelings. Besides his mum had always told him that sometimes a little white lie was okay to tell.

Since he hadn't wanted to hurt Oliver's feelings and he hadn't done anything but gone back to the dorm go to sleep couldn't this constitute a little white lie?

So wrapped up in his thoughts was he that he collided with a very solid figure. He almost fell backwards onto the ground but a cold and slightly clammy hand gripped his arm and held him upright. He looked up then swallowed. Professor Snape, the most feared teacher in Hogwarts and, arguably, all of the Northern Hemisphere.

Black eyes burned into him and he couldn't help but let out a tiny squeak of fear. His brothers had told him more than once not to let Snape bother him but he found he couldn't help but feel the urge to scream like a girl and run away.

"Mr. Weasley what, if you don't mind me inquiring, are you doing so far from the Gryffindor dorm?"

"I…um… got lost?"

Snape arched a thin eyebrow at him. "You got lost?"

"Yes?" He squeaked.

Snape didn't look at all amused. "You either are lost or you aren't. It's not an overly complex question and I'd think you could at least begin to comprehend it." Percy blinked and looked around in a panic. He didn't recognize any of the portraits or statues lining the walls so he was definitely lost.

"I'm lost." He said meekly.

Black eyes narrowed. "The incompetence of first years never ceases to amaze me. Even the exceptional ones insist on expressing stupidity on a consistent basis. Come with me."

Percy nodded silently and followed after the man, entirely too afraid to do anything else. It only took a few moments for Snape to lead him to the Great Hall. The Potions Master turned and sneered at him and Percy felt his cheeks flaming as some of the other students slowed down (And in the case of some Slytherins stopped and stared out right.)

"Would I be correct in assuming, Mr. Weasley, that you'll be able to find your way back to your dorm without getting lost again, or would you like me to guide you the rest of the way?"

Percy bit his bottom lip hard and nodded again. He took a step back and, careful to avoid the eyes of his fellow students, took off at a run for his dorm. His eyes were burning but it was different from the way they burned when he'd been reading too long or focusing too hard on something. This was the type of burning when his mother punished him, rare though those occasions were.

And he was determined to not cry in the hallway. It was bad enough Snape had made him looking like an idiot and a baby in front of the rest of the school…crying would only make it that much worse. And really he didn't _want _to cry but he just felt so…exposed.

He just knew everyone was laughing and talking about him.

He could just see his brothers shaking their heads in disgust and Oliver laughing at him with his other, normal friends.

And then he was, for the second time that day, crashing into someone. He fell this time and hit the ground with an audible thud. A bolt of pain ran up his arm from his elbow and his hand burned fiercely. He stared at his hand for a moment and took in the way his hand had been scratched up in the fall.

That was it, the last straw. It didn't really hurt _that_ much but he just couldn't take this day anymore. He wanted to go home and curl up in his mother's lap and at the moment he wasn't even ashamed to think like that.

He was just _tired_.

He bowed his head, covering his face with his hands, and started crying. He was sure he looked like a total idiot at the moment but he didn't feel like he could do anything else but cry at the moment, no matter how girly or stupid it made him look.

"Percy?"

Percy groaned and curled up onto himself. "Go 'way Oliver."

"You're in the middle of the hallway crying." Oliver pointed out calmly. "I can't very well just leave you out here can I? I'd be a lousy friend if I did that."

"You aren't my friend."

"…I'm not? Since when?"

"You won't even talk to me!"

He wasn't yelling, he wasn't yelling, he wasn't yelling and he wasn't crying harder. Nope. He wasn't. This was so humiliating.

Oliver was silent for a moment then warm hands were on his arms and hauling him up. He sniffled but allowed himself to be lead by Oliver. They walked to the tower and, after Oliver gave the password to The Fat Lady, through the common room. Percy was glad to find the Common Room was devoid of all signs of life and no one else could see him like this.

Oliver set him down on his bed then climbed up after him. Percy sighed, curled up around his pillow, and watched his friend through clumped eyelashes. Oliver's feet were dangling over the edge and his hands were folded in his lap and he looked more serious than Percy could recall ever seeing. He decided he didn't like seeing Oliver so serious.

It didn't suit him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't talking to you and let all of those idiots say that stuff about you." Oliver picked at a loose thread in his robe and Percy had to quell the urge to reach over and make him stop it. His mother hated that sort of thing but at the same time Oliver probably wouldn't have to hand his robes down through a bunch of younger brothers.

"It's okay."

"No it's not. I just did it to make you mad." Oliver muttered. "And…you know…because I knew you wouldn't like it."

"I deserved it."

"No you didn't." Oliver glared at him and Percy looked away. He couldn't even apologize properly. "You… I was just…look, Percy, don't lie to me. If you don't want to do something say so and that's fine. I don't mind. But I don't like liars. I can't really…tell you why. But I don't like it."

"Okay." Percy said without hesitation. If that's what Oliver wanted then he was pretty sure he could manage it. No more lies. Oliver smiled at him then tilted his head off to the side.

"So what happened?"

"Happened?" Percy repeated. Oliver nodded then made a vague gesture.

"Yeah. What made you…you know."

Percy smiled slightly at the uncomfortable look Oliver had on his face. At least he wasn't the only one who wasn't exactly enjoying this. Then he held his pillow tighter and began retelling his entire day in detail, carefully omitting the parts about Oliver's constant silence throughout the day.

When he was finished Oliver was staring at him, an oddly calculating look in his eyes. Percy opened his mouth to ask what was going on in Oliver's head but the other boy jumped up and flashed him a bright smile.

"I'm going to go to the kitchen and see if I can get us something to eat. You stay here, okay?"

Percy nodded then watched as Oliver walked out. He was all too happy to not have to leave the dorm and, to be brutally honest, wouldn't terribly mind never leaving again.

Without really meaning to Percy drifted off to sleep before Oliver returned and wasn't able to ask the other boy about that weird look he'd been wearing.

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Dream Weaver: How they're separate from everyone else is a definite theme in this story, so it's good that you can see the difference in their relationship already. As they get older it's important to how they act.

PWeatherby: No people skills… It's true, he has none what so ever. It's sad but…endearing.

Brien: I was temporarily unmotivated but I am again. And so here we go. Oliver is…something. What I'm not sure. But something.

Mugs: You hurt Percy! I should sic Oliver on you…He'd probably beat you up you know. He's very protective.

Santurion: The end! No my dear…it's only the beginning! Scary thought, right?

Wiccan: I think I'm back into the swing of things now, so the next part should be up within a few weeks.

Ookami: They aren't complex, the situations around them are complex. We must understand the difference…

Sheep: You're depressed and have dangerously low self-esteem? …huh. Interesting.

Ruby: Yeah. Percy doesn't get much love. There are what, maybe five pages of P/O stuff? It's just not right… Glad you like it.

Nay: Welll….no. This is my baby, my epic and…well, just because nothing happens with the couple until later doesn't mean you shouldn't be interested or that things should be rushed. It's supposed to be a slow and sweet build up, where development and growing are the key points.

International: Ah, you picked up on 'Jamie' being unisex. Is Jamie a Jamie, or is Jamie a James…questions questions. You'll find out soon enough, after all Bill is brining Jamie home this Christmas.

Treana: Your suggestion has been noted. Thanks for it, I like constructive reviews. And Percy is cute…kind of. In that geeky way that I, personally, love so much.

Faith: I agree completely. Something in Percy's personality has always screamed 'Slytherin' to me and somehow I believe his family has something to do with him being a Gryffindor. He just seems…almost out of place. Not totally, as I'm sure some kind of courage and selflessness lie within…but still. Out of place.

JD: Since you asked so nicely.

Crouching: Well, I'm gay and I wasn't 'aware' of it until I was 14 (He says as if he's so much older now) so no…no on is going to realize they're gay at 11. Most people don't even begin to realize they're sexual until they're around 12 so…

Mechante: As you should. Not liking Percy…shame on you. I love Percy. Not as much as I love Wally or Jou or Richie, but he's a strong fourth. (And really, what more can you hope for with those three as competition…) And if you say I did well with Oliver I'll take your word for it. You've read enough of my stuff to know. Heh.


End file.
